Ink
by Fifi McFu
Summary: Sequel to Piercings.  When you lose your lover, all else fades from existence.  A tattooed promise is the one thing that Sasuke can hold onto when he thinks that a fire has taken Naruto's life. Lemon, yaoi, slight OOCness.


**I'm not dead. I am working on the multi-chapters, I promise.**

**Here is the unprecedented sequel to Piercings. It's not the best thing I've ever written, but it's a start back in the right direction. That is, FINISHING ALL MY OTHER STORIES ARGHHHHH.**

**_Warnings: Man-sex, angstyness, UCD (unimportant character death), Naruto and Sasuke crying (but it's pretty justified IMO)_  
**

_

* * *

Love is only temporary, but ink is forever.  
- **Fifi McFu** _

* * *

The television chattered to itself in the background as Sasuke poured himself another beer, tilting his glass to prevent the froth building up. He set the now empty bottle on the sink, thinking to recycle it later, and then wandered over to the couch. There was an imprint in the leather where he had been sat for the past four hours, and he reinserted himself into it now.

For what felt like the thousandth time that evening, he checked his watch.

Naruto was late. Outrageously late. He had been due home at least six hours ago, and yet he was still out. No call or text, and when Sasuke had dropped his pride and called Naruto, it had gone straight through to voicemail.

Today was supposed to be _their_ day. It was a Sunday, and Sunday was always the day where they stayed in bed _all day_ and just shagged each other senseless. The day of being wrapped up in each other and the bed sheets. Food and water didn't matter on a Sunday. Their hunger and thirst were sated and quenched by a simple kiss.

Sunday was the only day of the week that they both had off. Since Sasuke was co-owner of the tattoo and piercing parlour (the place where they had first met three years ago), he had to spend a lot of time in the shop, not just doing his regular piercing duties but managing finances as well. And Naruto was head of his unit at the fire station, and since his unit worked five days a week (Wednesday was his other day off), Naruto was also a pretty busy boy.

Sunday made up for that though, because Sunday was sex day and always would be. And this Sunday should have been too, except that Naruto got a call that morning from Tsunade asking him to cover Kakashi's shift because the man had mysteriously disappeared with his pink haired girlfriend. And Naruto, being the kind, helpful guy that he was, agreed.

So Sasuke had spent Sunday dressed, alone and with only alcohol and Oprah to keep him company.

That was all fine and dandy. But Naruto's shift had finished six hours ago and he _still_ wasn't home. And Sasuke was starting to get mad.

He picked up his Blackberry off the arm of the couch and stared at it, willing it to pick up a message from Naruto. But his screensaver stared resolutely back at him, a picture he had sneakily taken of Naruto fast asleep with the morning sun carding through his gold locks.

His grip on the smartphone tightened, and it took every ounce of his willpower not to break the device. It was his third one in a year. Karin said he had anger management issues. Sasuke firmly insisted that the world was just out to piss him off.

He took a long sip of his beer before opening his contact list. Rather than speed-dialling Naruto again, he flicked down to a number he had labelled only as "The Idiot". He pressed the call button and lifted the phone up, but didn't press it to his ear. Kiba was loud.

He answered on the third ring. "_Sasuke! I take it you've seen it?"_

This made absolutely no sense to Sasuke, but the note of hysteria in Kiba's tone suggested he should force the man to elaborate.

"Seen what, Kiba?" Another sip of his beer.

"_Dude, what planet have __**you**__ been on all day? Put channel four on!"_

One eyebrow raised, Sasuke leaned forward and picked the remote up off the coffee table. He switched to channel four, where a live news broadcast was being shown. A massive block of flats that he recognised as being in Mazushii-ku was in flames, thick black smoke billowing out of the windows in great haunting clouds. Fire engines were clustered all around with ladders reaching up to the balconies. The commentator, an excited man with pudding-basin haircut and a blinding green suit, was practically screaming into his microphone.

"_-that six more people have been rescued from the building, which leaves three missing!"_ he was saying as Sasuke tuned in. The camera zoomed in on the entrance to the building where firefighters were emerging with victims slung over their shoulders, or held in their arms in the case of children.

Now it all made sense as to why Naruto wasn't home and wasn't answering his phone. This fire had probably been going on all afternoon. Sasuke squinted his eyes and leaned forward, still holding his Blackberry near his ear though Kiba had gone silent as he watched on the other end of the line. Sasuke tried to pick out the distinguishing coat that marked Naruto as a unit leader.

Naruto wasn't hard to spot. He had taken off his helmet and so his bright yellow hair was glaringly obvious amid the black coats and the red engine he was stood in front of. He was shouting orders into a radio but looked calm, in control.

Sasuke felt a surge of pride at seeing his idiot managing the situation so well. He'd known Naruto was good at his job, but actually seeing him in action really brought it home. When Naruto got back tonight Sasuke was going to reward him for being able to manage a fire unit and still look sexy whilst he did it.

The camera had zoomed in on Naruto and a large breasted woman in a suit that Sasuke recognised as Naruto's boss, Tsunade. She was on the phone whilst her assistant, a terrified looking waif of a girl with black hair ran around her writing things on a clipboard.

"_Naruto Uzumaki and Tsunade Sannin have been working around the clock trying to contain this fire, which we suspect was deliberately caused."_ The commentator's voice was barely audible over the sound of shouting, water-hoses, crumbling brick and screams.

"_It's insane, huh?"_ Kiba breathed softly into the phone. _"I mean, I knew Naruto was a fire-fighter an' all, but I never really considered that he was, like, actually __**fighting**__ fires!"_

Sasuke tore his eyes away from the screen and stared at his Blackberry. "You're such an idiot." He ended the call with a snort and threw the gadget on the seat next to him, shaking his head in disbelief.

_Well, I guess it's not his fault. That looks like a pretty crazy fire._ He pushed himself off the sofa and wandered back into the kitchen area of their two-bedroom apartment. Sasuke loved their apartment beyond all comprehension. It was luxurious without being overstated, their neighbours were either always out or just very quiet, and they had a perfect view of the city from their balcony. It was the perfect love nest.

Sasuke ran his fingers through his bangs with a wry chuckle. When had _he _ of all people become so sensitive and romantic? For the love of tomatoes (and Sasuke _loved_ tomatoes), he had just spent an entire day moping because his boyfriend had to work on his day off! He was turning into a _girl! _A very dominant, masculine girl though.

He decided now would be a good time to put the kettle on and make himself some tea. He had drunk enough beer to get normal humans drunk, but luckily due to his metabolism and height, Sasuke didn't really experience this problem. He filled the kettle and put it on, and then stood there staring at it whilst the metallic sound of his tongue piercing flicking against his teeth filled the kitchen.

Piercings... The very thing that had brought him and Naruto together. Sasuke pushed his hands into his pockets as a small grin spread over his lips. He recalled the first time they had had sex, right there in his booth at the shop with Karin and Kiba listening in. He and Naruto had fought and then fucked, and damn would Sasuke give anything for a repeat performance of that time. Sure, they'd had sex, and angry sex, many times since and in many places, but there was something about having sex at work that sent a spark of arousal to Sasuke's groin.

The kettle clicked as it finished boiling the water, and Sasuke made himself some herbal tea. Taking a sip, he wandered back into the living room and took a look at the TV again.

The fire wasn't going out. In fact, it seemed to be getting stronger.

Sasuke's stomach seemed to drop away as he realised that he couldn't see Naruto. Tsunade was still in front of the fire engine, with her assistant running around her in a tizzy, and there were firemen everywhere looking rather panicked, but _Naruto wasn't there_.

"_This is absolutely insane!" _the commentator was screaming as he ran around in front of the screen, tripping over his microphone wires and throwing papers everywhere. _"Naruto Uzumaki has entered the building after the fire hit a gas container, trapping two fellow firefighters and the remaining three victims within the inferno! But will he come out a hero, or will he pay the price for his recklessness?"_

Sasuke dropped his tea. He barely registered as it shattered on the pine wood flooring and hot tea scalded his bare feet. His hands clenched into his fists.

"That _idiot_," he hissed, staring at the TV screen in horror. The fire was engulfing the entire block as if a giant phoenix had just swallowed it. Tsunade was hollering into a radio, and to Sasuke it looked as though she was demanding that Naruto get back outside _right now_.

"Listen to your boss, Naruto." His voice was only a low growl, but inside, Sasuke was screaming. He had never felt so horrified in his life. Sure, Naruto must do this kind of stuff every day, but not when Sasuke was _watching_. Not for such a deadly looking fire.

He sank into his couch, not bothering to clean up the broken mug or treat the scalds on his feet.

He watched in numb hope and fear, as fire-fighters piled back into the building only to be forced out by tongues of hot, terrible flames. One of the trapped victims made it a balcony and they were rescued by a fireman on a ladder.

"_It is believed that this victim was with the other two missing residents and the firefighters trying to rescue them,"_ the commentator said as the cameraman ran to the barrier and zoomed in on the victim, a woman with long blonde hair who was coughing violently. Paramedics descended on her like flies, and after several minutes a fireman emerged from the scrum and spoke to Tsunade. He obviously had bad news from the girl, because Tsunade began to cry.

Sasuke's hands clenched in his jeans and he mashed his teeth together to try and keep his emotions under control. Nobody had said anything on the television, but they didn't need to. It was obvious that the remaining firemen and victims in the building were in grave danger, if not already dead.

Naruto could be dead. He could be lying there among the flames, slowly burning to ashes, and Sasuke hadn't even been able to say goodbye to him. In fact, the last time he had seen Naruto that morning, he called him an idiot and not even kissed him goodbye.

Sasuke had known he was a cold person, but now, when all his emotions were at breaking point, he felt peculiarly numb. Unreal. He couldn't see the TV anymore. All he could see was Naruto's face, that stupid grinning face with the strange whisker scars and the bright blue eyes.

* * *

"I'm home!" Naruto called, walking through the door to find Sasuke sat at the kitchen table, reading a paper. He had evidently just got in from work, because he was still wearing his shoes. Sasuke sat back in his seat and brushed his bangs out of his eyes with a small smile he reserved only for Naruto.

"Welcome home, dumbass."

This nickname was so old by now that Naruto barely noticed it. He just grinned, feeling a course of happiness swing through him as those words came out of Sasuke's mouth. _Welcome home_. He was home. This apartment was their home now. His and Sasuke's.

Sasuke kicked his seat out and patted his lap, laying his paper down on the table. Naruto toed off his shoes and practically skipped over, swinging his leg over Sasuke's and seating himself on the taller man's thighs.

"I missed you," he breathed, nuzzling Sasuke's nose with his own. He shivered as Sasuke's hands slid up into his hair and weaved themselves into tangles.

"I know," Sasuke said with a cocky smirk, before pressing their lips together firmly. Naruto let out an unrestrained whimper and wrapped his arms around Sasuke's neck, letting the hot tongue of the other push between his lips and map out the insides of his mouth. His own tongue ran along the invading muscle, teasing it and caressing it, inviting it to play.

Sasuke's hands began to slide down his back, digging firmly into every ridge of muscle and tracing the indents of Naruto's spine. Their lips broke apart with a light smack, moisture running down their chins. Neither noticed as they began to divest, desperate to get to bare skin. They ached to be together, to be reunited in the most intimate way known to man.

Kisses rained down on Naruto's chest and Sasuke slid his index fingers into the little dents at the base of Naruto's spine, tugging him closer and forcing their growing erections together. They both gasped, and Naruto's hands formed fists in the back of Sasuke's unruly hair when the dark-haired man took a pebbled nipple between his lips and sucked hard.

"F-fuck baby, that feels g-goooood," Naruto moaned. "God, I've been looking forward to this all day..."

Sasuke stopped sucking and proceeded to tongue the bruising nipple roughly, like a wolf cleaning a wound. The look he gave Naruto was just as animalistic, and was drenched in lust that made Naruto's clear blue eyes haze over with desire.

With a vicious wrench, Naruto pulled on Sasuke's hair and brought his head up until it was level with his. "Stop teasing," he growled, and kissed Sasuke demandingly. And then they were lost in each other once more, like they had been so many times before, and it was just as perfect and just as intimate and just as exquisite, if not more so.

* * *

Hours later, they lay in bed with their fingers laced between them and their eyes locked, pressing small kisses to each other's lips and chatting quietly.

"You've changed," Naruto murmured. "You're much more... sentimental now."

"Say that again Uzumaki and I'll give you plenty of reason to rethink that statement."

Naruto chuckled, unfazed, and kissed Sasuke again. Their eyelashes brushed on each other's cheeks, and Sasuke trailed his hand down Naruto's side before coming to rest on the blond's butt cheek. Knowing the area like the back of his hand, he began to trace the outline of the new tattoo imprinted there. His fingers followed the curve of the Uchiha symbol with a delicate touch that made Naruto shiver.

"Mine," Sasuke whispered, still stroking the tattoo as he bit down on Naruto's lower lip hard enough to draw a droplet of blood. He tasted the copper and lapped it up, tonguing the hurt before sliding his tongue back into the hot cavern of Naruto's mouth. Naruto could barely breathe, barely respond as a wave of emotions crashed down over him all at once.

It wasn't "I love you". But it was probably the closest Sasuke would ever get to saying it aloud. Not that Naruto needed him to say it, because Naruto could hear it loud and clear in every action Sasuke made.

When the kiss broke and they pressed their sweaty foreheads together, breathing harshly, Naruto was fighting back tears.

"I'm yours."

* * *

"_Naruto Uzumaki has been in the building without a helmet for six minutes now. We have received word from the latest survivor that she was separated from the other firemen and her fellow victims when a stairway collapsed, taking one fireman now identified as Zabuza Momochi with it."_

* * *

"You know," Naruto mused as he stared at himself in the bathroom mirror, "I think snakebites would look good on me." He twiddled the small bar in the left side of his lip, the one that Sasuke had pierced himself.

"Hm," Sasuke grunted, sliding his arms around Naruto's shoulders as he came up behind him. He gently took Naruto's hand and moved it away from the blond's mouth, and then proceeded to follow the curve of the plump lips with his own pale fingers.

"What do you think?" Naruto breathed, watching Sasuke in the mirror. Sasuke's hand moved from Naruto's mouth to his chin, grasping it gently and turning Naruto's head to the side. They met eyes.

"You're perfect as you are," Sasuke said, and then kissed him, and that was the last time Naruto ever considered getting snakebites.

* * *

"_We now have confirmation that Zabuza Momochi is dead."_

* * *

"Do you love me, Sasuke?"

"Shut up and kiss me, dumbass."

"I'll take that as a yes."

* * *

"_Wait! Someone is coming out!"_

Sasuke raised his head from where it had been resting in his trembling palms and stared at the screen. Smoke funnelled from the entrance of the building, shrouding three silhouetted figures. One looked to be supporting the other two. Sasuke's breath caught in his throat as he made out spiky hair.

"_We have confirmation that fire-fighter Shino Aburame had made it out with the two other residents!"_ the commentator announced. Sasuke felt his blood running dry in his veins.

"_Naruto Uzumaki, the fire-fighter who has often been described as having fully inherited Konoha's 'Will of Fire' for his heroic actions in the past, now remains the only person unaccounted for. For those of you who have just tuned in, we regret to announce that Zabuza Momochi has lost his life. A few minutes ago, Tsunade Sannin told us that 'Zabuza was a fierce man with determination unmatched by any other fire-fighter, and he will be sorely missed by the force.' His family has been told."_

Sasuke could feel his entire body trembling. He wasn't able to take any more of this torture. With a soft click, he turned the television off and lay himself down on the couch. He stared up at the ceiling, willing deities he had never believed in to protect Naruto, keep his dumbass safe.

"Come home, you fucking idiot."

* * *

Sasuke opened his eyes. The living room was dark without the light of the TV. He glanced at his watch and realised he had fallen asleep, because it was two in the morning. Which meant Naruto was nine hours late now.

He didn't know if his dumbass was even alive anymore. He hadn't been able to watch the television any more. But he wished he had watched, wished that he at least had confirmation. He was in purgatory, which in many ways was worse than hell. He had no idea if Naruto was dead, alive, in hospital, or slowly dying amongst the burning remains of the block of flats.

Sasuke's eyelashes formed crescent moons on his cheeks and he bit his lip, refusing to cry.

Something clattered in the hallway.

"Ow! Crap..."

Sasuke's eyes flew open again. That was most definitely Naruto's voice. Was he dreaming? He sat up and looked towards the door to the hallway, pinching his arm fiercely enough to confirm that this was _not_ a dream.

"Naruto?" he called, hardly daring to believe it was real. His voice was cracked and dry.

"Sasuke? You're still awake? Why are all the lights off?" And then Naruto was stood in the doorway, covered in soot, blood trickling down the side of his face, but _there_, and _alive_.

"Naruto..." Sasuke murmured, staring at his lover and praying that this was real, that Naruto had survived that fire and was stood here in front of him acting as though nothing had happened.

"Sasuke? What's wrong? You look exhausted!" And then Naruto walked over to the couch, took Sasuke's face in his dirty hands and kissed him. And hell, did Sasuke kiss back. Before Naruto knew what was happening he had been pulled onto the couch and Sasuke was over him, shoving his tongue into Naruto's mouth and tasting the fire that had nearly killed him.

"You fucking _dumbass_," Sasuke growled, pinning Naruto's hands above his head and nipping at the boys throat painfully, causing Naruto to yelp in a mixture of surprise and excitement. "I thought you were _dead!_"

Naruto stiffened beneath him. "You saw the news coverage?"

Sasuke retreated from his neck and hovered over Naruto, his eyes alarmingly bright with emotions that Sasuke usually kept locked up within himself. It frightened Naruto, and a wash of guilt drenched his skin and brought up goosebumps.

"You didn't come out..." Sasuke whispered, dropping his head and pressing their foreheads together. "I couldn't watch any more... they said one of your co-workers had died, and Tsunade was _crying_..."

Naruto swore softly beneath him. "Sasuke, I'm so sorry... I didn't mean to make you worry like that! You don't usually watch the news so I didn't even think you would be watching..."

Sasuke's fingers tightened on Naruto's wrists and one harsh sob managed to escape him. It broke Naruto's heart to hear someone as strong as Sasuke fighting back tears. Tears for _him_.

"Hey," the blond murmured gently. "Sasuke... look at me."

Sasuke did. His eyes were dry, but his face was paler than usual and he was frowning with the effort it took to keep a brave face. Naruto had never seen him look so vulnerable before. Sasuke, strong and carefree Sasuke who didn't give a shit about anyone else.

_Love can do crazy things to a person, I guess_, he mused. "Sasuke, look at me. I'm alive. I came back, see?"

Sasuke narrowed his eyes, and nodded once. His grip loosened a little on Naruto's wrists but he didn't release the man.

"Believe me," Naruto chuckled, smiling up at Sasuke with wetness in his eyes that made them look like jewels in the darkness, "It'd take a lot more than a fire to bring me down. I'm not letting anything take me away from you, _ever_." He said this last part with such conviction that Sasuke had to kiss him before Naruto would see the tears that suddenly rushed to his eyes. As their mouths were crushed together, their tears morphed together on their cheeks so that neither one could tell who was crying more.

"_Never_ do that to me again," Sasuke gasped, releasing Naruto's wrists just long enough to rip the boy's black shirt over his head, his own t-shirt following. Naruto was pinned back down again, Sasuke's grip painful and exhilarating.

"I can't promise that," Naruto gasped, as Sasuke tore his yellow uniform pants open and ripped them down over his thighs along with his pants. "Being the hero is in my blood."

Sasuke paused in the process of undoing his jeans one-handed whilst he kept Naruto pinned down, and sent a wet but violent glare at Naruto.

"But I promise to always come back," the blond finished, and then gave Sasuke a lopsided grin.

Sasuke tore his belt from its loops, and then fastened it around Naruto's wrists on a spur of the moment decision. "Good enough," he growled, before bending down and engulfing Naruto's pulsating dick whole.

Naruto made a strangled noise resembling a groan as his eyes rolled back, and his arms strained wildly against the makeshift restraints Sasuke had used. The dark-haired man began to suck harshly on Naruto's cock, tonguing the underside and sliding his piercing into the slit just like Naruto liked it. Within minutes, Naruto was bucking in his grip and Sasuke was forced to hold the blond's hips down.

"Sasuke... please..." Naruto moaned, his legs quivering on either side of Sasuke's dark head. Sasuke looked up from Naruto's pelvis, his shadowy eyes strangely reflective in the dark. Without needing told, Sasuke began to suck on three of his fingers, his eyes never leaving Naruto's own.

Naruto didn't care that he was exhausted. He didn't care that he had a serious head injury and should probably have gone to the emergency room with the paramedics. He didn't even care right then that he had lost Zabuza, someone he had been painfully close to.

All that mattered right then was Sasuke, and Sasuke was here, loving him without words to articulate it, and Sasuke had been _worried_ for him. Naruto felt such an immense surge of love for the man then that he came as soon as Sasuke pushed one finger inside him. He whimpered weakly as white splashed his chest, and Sasuke didn't relent as he pressed a second finger inside of him. Sweat and fresh semen beaded on his tanned, heaving chest, and Sasuke began to scissor his fingers unremittingly.

Three years of daily sex had taught Sasuke pretty much all he needed to know about Naruto's body, and so he found Naruto's sweet spot pretty much instantly. He stroked the small bundle of nerves softly, caressing it and eliciting a mewl from the blond, who's dick began to rapidly harden again despite having only just blown his load.

Sasuke lapped up the cum splashing Naruto's chest as he worked, his fingers prying into Naruto's entrance over and over whilst he cleaned the trembling abdomen. He had never been so desperate to be united with his lover, to feel him clenching around him. He still hadn't quite convinced himself that this was real.

Naruto must have sensed Sasuke's urgency, because he wiggled his hips impatiently and said, "It's okay, I'm ready. I need to feel you, Sasuke."

There was no hesitation in the Uchiha's movements as he withdrew his fingers, spat into his hand and stroked his erection to wet it slightly. He guided it to Naruto's entrance with practiced ease, and Naruto quickly hooked his knees over the paler man's elbows. There was the briefest of pauses where they both stared at each other, chests heaving, no longer crying but with tears still tracking their cheeks in salty paths.

Sasuke leaned forward, bringing Naruto's legs with him, and kissed the restrained blond firmly.

"You're mine," he growled. Naruto let out a shuddered gasp as Sasuke's length pressed into his body, spreading him to the point of hurting that was delicious in its own painful way. For a few seconds, he lost the ability to breathe properly as his body tried to accommodate to Sasuke, but before he had even gotten the chance to do that Sasuke had started his thrusting rhythm.

Each push pounded in Naruto's aching head but he could hardly pay attention to a mere headache once Sasuke located his prostate again. The Uchiha smirked as Naruto began to writhe deliciously beneath him, his toned arms straining against the belt encircling his wrists tight enough to pale the skin of his hands, and from then on he made sure to hit that spot consistently with every thrust. He held the angle despite the ache that was beginning to form in his thighs, and it was absolutely worth it because the look of total bliss on Naruto's face was like staring at a sexed up angel.

Naruto couldn't take the pleasure. He was so close, his entire body was tingling once again with the pre-orgasmic goosebumps that had begun to race up his flesh.

"Sasukeee..." Just a little further. A few more thrusts and...

Sasuke stopped, though it seemed to take a lot of effort on his part. Naruto, who had been arched up like a cat beneath him, slumped down on the couch with a pained expression on his face.

"Wh-what the _fuck_?"

Sasuke leaned close to the blond, smelling charcoal and soot as he dusted his lips breathlessly over Naruto's cheek. "Swear to me..." he panted, nuzzling his nose against Naruto's without much care for the fact that he was showing more affection than he should, "Swear you'll never leave me, and I'll let you finish."

"You don't even have to ask!" Naruto's voice was strained, annoyed but still laughing at the same time. He reached up as far as he could in his compromising position and dipped his tongue between Sasuke's lips, enticing the other man's out and into his own. They kissed, and all other sensations dimmed in comparison. But when they broke apart, they became painfully aware of how close they were.

It only took six more hard, claiming thrusts on Sasuke's part to send Naruto spinning over the edge. The blond's eyes rolled back in his head as he once again made a mess of their torsos, and every muscle in his passage clamped down around Sasuke. Sasuke wasn't even breathing by now as he shut his eyes and drove into Naruto one last time. His face damp with sweat, his lips parted in a soundless scream as he coated Naruto from the inside out.

The aftermath was sweet and sour. They kissed, they showered. Naruto cried once the knowledge of Zabuza's death hit home. Sasuke held him, trying to bring his walls back up in his mind. For some reason, Naruto's Uchiha crest tattoo kept coming up in his mind like a persistent fly.

Although Naruto hadn't actually given his word that he would never leave, the ink on his skin felt more like a promise to Sasuke than any words could.

* * *

**You know the drill. Reviews fuel me.**


End file.
